Jennifer Brethack | Faces of Snow

 Who are you, where are you from, and what is your major?
My name is Jennifer Brethack. I'm from Stockholm, Sweden and my major is communication.

What was the last hobby you picked up?
My last hobby I picked up is probably video and Photoshop editing. Because I started working at the international office and they wanted me to make all these different posters ao I started learning about how to edit with Photoshop and then, later on they wanted me to do videos. So it just kinda, felt natural to start learning it.

What is the best part about Snow College?
The best part is probably the small town vibe. Since I'm from a big city, being in this kind of small community, it kinda brings people together in a way that I really like. I would say the activities at Snow College and the international office. They offer us activities during holidays and on weekends and we kinda get together and bond. So it also gets an opportunity to see different cultures.

What is your favorite place on campus?
The science building. I've studied there till 3 am. All the last school year, it was my place to go. Because it's available 24/7, except on Sundays. So you can literally, if you come in before nine o'clock, you can be there till 8am, and the library closes at 12.

What do you miss about home?
Probably my friends and family. Like, my first year here, I didn't miss them that much because it was such a big experience but now, being here for a while, you kind of feel like it starts to strain a little bit, the relationship, because of the time difference.

What is the time difference?
So the time difference is eight hour plus. That means that technically I can't call them at 3pm 'cause then it's 11pm there and they're all sleeping. Probably in the morning before I go to class but it's usually very quick. So, most of the times, I just spend texting them and I kinda lose my language a bit but it's still, my English gets better.

What would you say to someone thinking of coming to Snow?
I would say to not judge the campus by its size. And the same with the small town vibe. That's actually what gives Snow College the charm, the fact that it's such a close community. And you're not just a number here at Snow. The professors actually know your name and you feel like you can kind of stand out a little bit more in the classrooms.

What would you tell your younger self?
To probably be more engaged with the school. Like my last year here, I felt like I was more engaged. I was in the business competitions, I was more active in the clubs, and during my first year, I basically just went to the events 'cause I felt like that was gonna be my experience. But now I realize that you can get more engaged with the college. That's something I didn't know when I came here.

What is one thing that not many people know about you?
Probably that I actually like to play video games. That's something that's usually stereotyped for guys and for me, it kind of brings out a competitiveness and I've done it since I was, probably 10 years old and I grew up playing it. Not a lot of people know about that.

What video games do you like to play?
Like Adventure, Unchartered, there's the ones when you kinda, get to explore an environment more, instead of shooting.

How did you find out about Snow College?
So, I found out about Snow College because of an agency and they gave me different options of colleges and I'm a person that really loves nature. I love skiing and snow boarding and I saw that Snow College was in the middle of mountains and on the winter you were able to snowboard and everything. So it kinda draw my attention more than going to California and I also like the small vibes here instead of being stuck in traffic. This is a lot nicer 'cause you can actually walk.

What is your advice to international students?
For people coming here that would be to be more open towards culture and accepting different cultures because it's very different from Europe to America because of the fact that you talk more to strangers. And here also, there's a religion and for me, the religion is very open-minded and they're very nice to you and I think that you really need to be that same towards them and accept that there's a culture difference.

What are you going to miss about Snow College?
I would say the international office. They've been like a family towards me and they're so different. It's a small office so you get to know each of them very personally and they've helped me financially, personally and just everything. I'm really gonna miss them.